This invention relates generally to lighting devices. More particularly, this invention relates to lighting devices for temporarily providing light to appliances, such as thermostats, VCR""s, telephone caller ID""s and the like as well as to provide light to designated areas and for use as a portable light source. Further, this invention relates to lighting devices having attachment and mounting structures for positioning a lighting device for use with various appliances.
Electrical and electronic appliances are often difficult to read and, therefore, to properly set and control. For example, thermostats for furnace and air conditioning units are typically placed in areas, such as in a corner of a room or in hallways, and which are often not well lighted. Thermostat controls are usually adjusted at night when natural lighting is not available. Thus, home owners often have a difficult time reading and adjusting thermostats. This problem is compounded for the elderly and to those having eyesight difficulties whom may need a flashlight, a match, a lighter or may need to light an adjoining space to make a thermostat reading and adjustment. The latter use of electrical energy, often involving 110 volts/100 watts or more, represents a high consumption of energy despite the world wide attempt to conserve electrical energy use. The lighting device of this invention provides an energy efficient means to momentarily illuminate a thermostat.
Various electrical appliances and/or controls for such appliances are used in households as well as in other settings. Often times, such appliances or controls require periodic monitoring or setting. For purposes of this patent application, a thermostat will be discussed and particularly, the lighting device of the present invention is constructed and arranged to provide a momentary light for a thermostat.
Despite the need for an economical, versatile, efficient and functional device to aid the reading and operation of electrical appliances, such as thermostats, none as far as is known has been commercialized. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,455 to Horning discloses a cover for a wall mounted thermostat having illumination and magnifying means, however, the components are mounted beneath the cover in the interior of the thermostat itself. U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,318 to Conley also discloses a thermostat light, however, the U-shaped device of this invention is bulky and limited in use with certain appliance designs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,615 to Nichols discloses a light attachment for a thermostat which includes a pivotally mounted telescoping arm. These prior art references disclose generally complex lighting devices which are limited in use and which are particularly difficult to adapt to existing thermostats.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a lighting device which is economical, efficient and constructed and arranged to be adapted on a variety of existing thermostat designs as well as other electrical and electronic appliances. The lighting device of the present invention provides a lighting unit which can be added to existing appliances or which can be incorporated into the original design and construction of the electrical or electric appliance to be illuminated.
It is another object to provide lighting structures having slip-in lighting modules comprising the bulb, energy source and switch. The slip-in module body may be used for a variety of lighting device structures and enables the lighting devices to be easily assembled and serviced when necessary. It is another object to provide lighting structures having a hood or cover adapted to provide light onto predetermined areas of a thermostat, appliance or selected area and the cover is constructed and arranged to receive the lighting module which permits the bulb and battery, for example, to be easily replaced.
It is another object to provide light unit structures integral with an annular cover or housing adapted to fit onto thermostats or other structures. Light unit structures are also provided for placement onto flat, round or any contoured surfaces of an appliance, for example, and having means for securing the lighting structure onto such surfaces of thermostats and other appliances. Removable light structures are also provided for use in emergency lighting situations when electrical power is disrupted, for example. Further, light structures are provided to be adapted for mounting on a door plate to illuminate the door entry and door handle areas. Other lighting structures are designed for multiple use, such as for various thermostat designs, emergency use, and mounting to locations, such as doors. Other lighting devices are provided which are adjustable, attachable and/or removable from an appliance, and which have various attachment and mounting means for providing a lighting structure to, on or in proximity to an appliance.
The lighting device of the present invention is comprised of a self contained base and hood structure which is mountable to an existing electrical appliance or which can be incorporated into the design and construction of the electrical appliance itself. When used with a thermostat, for example, the lighting device may be mounted onto the top of the thermostat cover or housing or it may be manufactured and sold as a device with a decorative thermostat cover and wherein the original thermostat ring is replaced by the decorative cover with integral lighting device, or wherein the decorative cover with light unit is mounted over an existing thermostat or similar appliance. The lighting devices may also be used in other applications as will be further described.
The lighting device may be comprised of a self contained base structure which is adapted to be mounted to an electrical appliance or which may be constructed and arranged to frictionally fit into a hood or cover structure. The base structure has a cavity into which a battery, a light bulb and a conductive connector member with a switch is mounted. The switch, which is preferably of the momentary push down type, is connected for operation between the battery and the light bulb and is accessible outside the base structure and cover. The base structure may be provided with connecting means which permit the lighting device to be attached to the thermostat. The base structure may be flat or contoured to be aesthetically and securely mounted to the top of a thermostat or other appliance. A pair of opposing snap ridges may be utilized for this purpose, however, a fastener such as a screw or the like, an adhesive or adhesive layer with release liner may also be used for mounting the base structure to a thermostat.
A cover or hood is provided to receive the self contained base structure. The cover may also be mounted over the base structure. The base structure may be used with and placed into various cover structures and designs. The cover has a forward extending hood area which is adapted to direct the light from the light bulb to the area to be illuminated. The cover has an aperture or slot through which the switch is accessible for operation. The base structure contains a lighting module comprised of various components including, for example, a light bulb, a battery or batteries, a switch and a conductive connector member structure which communicate between these components. The base structure preferably slips into the cover and, preferably, is frictionally held therein. The base structure of the lighting device is constructed and arranged in a unique manner which provides an economical means to securely and effectively hold and interconnect these components in a unitary and self contained manner. The cover structure of the invention may also have various structures and designs including depending ring-like members whereby the cover is provided with means to frictionally receive the lighting module and the ring-like member is adapted to be mounted over appliances such as thermostats and door plates, for example. The cover structures may be decorative and adapted to receive informational or advertising materials.
Lighting devices are provided in this invention having various attachment and mounting structures for positioning a lighting device for use with appliances, such as thermostats.